into the vending machine in the lobby emptying it of the bags of chips . Before he starts his car to leave , he polishes off every last bag of his favorite treat . He feels worthless , hopeless , and a failure . What he really wants is to be treated like everyone else .
The person who binge eats has a long history of insecurities in life . He or she is usually classified as obese or morbidly obese , meaning he or she could easily weigh 300 pounds or more as an adult . Children with this condition are unusually heavy for their age , often weighing 100 pounds or more while their classmates may weigh 50 to 70 pounds . Most of them feel fat and ugly , causing them to feel depressed , but some try to hide their feelings by using humor or always smiling or laughing . These victims commonly have a history of bullying and body shaming , sexual abuse , and traumatic events that trigger this dangerous disorder . They frequently binge on a whole days ’ worth of food in a single sitting , not feeling like they can control their eating behavior . Afterward , they are disgusted with themselves , keeping this horrible cycle going . Most binge several times a week ( Jackelyn Eckern , Binge Eating Disorder , 2014 ).
Binge eating is a way of looking for comfort from stress or anxiety . Signs of binging include : hoarding food to gorge on later , eating secretly , relieving stress and anxiety through food , inability to sense “ hunger ” and “ fullness ”, and missing food from pantry and refrigerator . Their desire to be happy is counter-productive .
These individuals suffer from many health problems like type 2 diabetes , high cholesterol , high blood pressure , insomnia , heart disease , arthritis , gastrointestinal problems , and depression or anxiety ( Jackelyn Eckern , Binge Eating Disorder , 2014 ). The risk of death is high from the health issues previously mentioned , not as high as anorexia or bulimia . There is also a risk of rupture of the stomach . Many seek lap band and gastric bypass surgery to lose weight , but without learning proper eating habits and counseling or psychiatric intervention , the risk of rupture increases . Essentially , this disorder causes his or her body to be a ticking time bomb .
THE HEART OF THE MAT- TER
As you can see , eating disorders are serious risks to those who suffer from them . Your concern for someone ’ s welfare with any eating disorder is valid . The unfortunate truth is they probably do not believe they have a serious problem . Their disorder has built up over time , one careless word , one uncontrollable situation at a time . It is through this faulty framework that they view their bodies and their relationships with other people . Anorexics have a distorted view of their bodies ; they believe they are fat . Binge eaters and bulimics feel like they have no control over their disorder , often disgusted with their own behavior . They fear loss of control over what happens to their bodies and how other people view them .
Not only do you care , but so does our Heavenly Father . Many of these hurting individuals do not feel loved or lovable . They also do not realize that they are an awesome creation designed by our Creator God , a one of a kind design ( Psalm 139:13- 16 ). What He created He called good ( Genesis 1:31 ). Yet what they do to their bodies is a sin issue , even though it is often unintentional . The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 , “ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit , who is in you , whom you have received from God ? You are not your own ; you were bought at a price . Therefore honor God with your bodies .” This verse caught Carrie ’ s attention to what she was really doing to herself . She did not want God to be disappointed with her . We are also a living sacrifice to be set apart for the Lord ’ s service . People who abuse their bodies like this , unknowingly offer a damaged sacrifice to the Lord ( Romans 12:1 ). We are all sinners saved by grace , none of us is perfect . So , it is important to be careful . Judgmental attitudes can shut down your conversation with the person you care about . Loving concern will usually help open up their hearts to what you need to say .
The life of people with eating disorders is a complex one . Recovery takes a multi-faceted approach . Megan *, a middle-aged adult binge eater , was confronted by her doctor due to serious health concerns . She admitted herself into an outpatient treatment program at a local hospital which included a medically supervised weight loss plan , nutritional counseling , a healthy maintenance diet plan , exer-